Saily and Airalo are two of the biggest travel-eSIM brands, and they're close on price more often than not. The real difference is which kind of plan you want: in my checks, Saily was usually cheaper for unlimited data and Airalo for fixed data. Here's the destination-by-destination picture.
Unlimited data for a week
Price of a 7-day unlimited plan in each destination. Highlighted: the cheaper one.
| Destination | Saily | Airalo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan29 Sep 2026 | $26.99 | $26.50 | Airaloby $0.49 |
| Thailand29 Sep 2026 | $20.99 | $21.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| USA29 Sep 2026 | $24.99 | $25.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| Turkey29 Sep 2026 | $26.99 | $24.50 | Airaloby $2.49 |
| Canada9 Oct 2026 | $28.99 | $32.00 | Sailyby $3.01 |
| Italy9 Oct 2026 | $22.99 | $23.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| Spain9 Oct 2026 | $22.99 | $23.50 | Sailyby $0.51 |
| UK10 Oct 2026 | $26.99 | $27.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| France10 Oct 2026 | $23.99 | $23.50 | Airaloby $0.49 |
| Greece10 Oct 2026 | $26.99 | $27.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| Mexico10 Oct 2026 | $24.99 | $23.50 | Airaloby $1.49 |
| Europe9 Oct 2026 | $26.99 | $27.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
Saily was cheaper in 8 of 12 destinations, in six of them by a single cent. The biggest gaps: Canada (Saily $3.01 cheaper), Turkey (Airalo $2.49 cheaper) and Mexico (Airalo $1.49 cheaper).
10 GB valid for 30 days
Price of a 10 GB plan valid for 30 days. Highlighted: the cheaper one.
| Destination | Saily | Airalo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan29 Sep 2026 | $17.99 | $18.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| Thailand29 Sep 2026 | $10.99 | $11.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| USA29 Sep 2026 | $22.99 | $22.50 | Airaloby $0.49 |
| Turkey29 Sep 2026 | $15.99 | $15.50 | Airaloby $0.49 |
| Canada9 Oct 2026 | $30.99 | $23.00 | Airaloby $7.99 |
| Italy9 Oct 2026 | $20.99 | $19.00 | Airaloby $1.99 |
| Spain9 Oct 2026 | $15.99 | $14.00 | Airaloby $1.99 |
| UK10 Oct 2026 | $18.99 | $19.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| France10 Oct 2026 | $16.99 | $17.00 | Sailyby $0.01 |
| Greece10 Oct 2026 | $22.99 | $20.00 | Airaloby $2.99 |
| Mexico10 Oct 2026 | $23.99 | $18.50 | Airaloby $5.49 |
| Europe9 Oct 2026 | $35.99 | $31.00 | Airaloby $4.99 |
Airalo was cheaper in 8 of 12. Where Saily won — Japan, Thailand, the UK and France — it was by a single cent. Where Airalo won, the gap ranged from 49 cents (USA, Turkey) to $7.99 (Canada).
Where the gap is big
- Canada: Saily's unlimited week was $3.01 cheaper ($28.99), but Airalo's 10 GB for 30 days was $7.99 cheaper ($23.00). See the Canada guide.
- Mexico: Airalo was cheaper on both — $5.49 less for 10 GB and $1.49 less for a week of unlimited. See the Mexico guide.
- Europe-wide plans: Airalo's 10 GB was $4.99 cheaper; Saily's unlimited week a cent cheaper. See the Europe guide.
- Turkey: Airalo's unlimited week was $2.49 cheaper. See the Turkey guide.
Beyond price
| Saily | Airalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-data validity | Mostly 30 days (1 GB plans: 7 days) | 3, 7, 15 or 30 days, depending on the plan |
| Biggest single-country plan | 20 GB in the 11 countries checked | 50 GB in 10 of those 11 countries |
| Unlimited lengths | Usually 5 to 30 days, including 20 and 25 days; 1 or 3 days in some countries | 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 or 30 days |
| Unlimited full-speed allowance stated | 5 GB a day (3 GB in Canada and Mexico), then up to 1 Mbps | Not listed on the country pages I checked |
| Networks named on plan pages | Rarely (Japan: KDDI and SoftBank) | Usually names the primary network |
| Europe-wide plan | 35 countries, incl. UK, Switzerland, Turkey | 41 countries, incl. western Balkans and Ukraine; EU + UK plan (28) |
| Calls and texts | Optional US phone number with a call and text plan, as an add-on | Lists data, calls and texts eSIMs for some destinations, e.g. Canada |
From each provider's own plan pages for the destinations above, checked 29 September – 10 October 2026.
Saily plans activate automatically when you arrive and can be activated any time within 180 days of purchase. Saily also adds security features from the NordVPN team — a virtual location, an ad blocker and protection against malicious sites — and gives 3% of each purchase back as Saily credits.
Which one to choose
- You want unlimited data: Saily was cheaper in most destinations, states its full-speed allowance and has no hotspot restrictions.
- You want a fixed amount of data: Airalo was cheaper for 10 GB in most destinations and sells 7- and 15-day plans and 50 GB.
- Your dates might change: Saily's fixed plans almost all last 30 days, so an extra few days won't cost you.
- You're going to Mexico or Canada with fixed data in mind: Airalo, by a wide margin.
- Several European countries: it depends on your route — see which countries each Europe plan covers.
For Saily against Holafly's unlimited plans, see Saily vs Holafly. Every destination guide also has a "Find your plan" tool that picks the cheapest plan for your trip length and usage: Japan · Thailand · USA · Turkey · Canada · Italy · Spain · UK · France · Greece · Mexico · Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saily cheaper than Airalo?
It depends on the plan. Across 12 destinations checked between 29 September and 10 October 2026, Saily was cheaper for a 7-day unlimited plan in 8 of 12, while Airalo was cheaper for 10 GB valid 30 days in 8 of 12. Most differences were under $1.
Which is better for unlimited data, Saily or Airalo?
Saily had the cheaper 7-day unlimited plan in 8 of 12 destinations, usually by a cent, and by about $3 in Canada. It also states its full-speed allowance (5 GB a day in most countries, 3 GB in Canada and Mexico) and sells 20- and 25-day plans. Airalo was cheaper for a week in Japan, Turkey, France and Mexico.
Which is better for fixed data?
Airalo was cheaper for 10 GB valid 30 days in 8 of 12 destinations, by up to about $8 in Canada, and sells shorter 7- and 15-day plans and 50 GB plans in most countries. Saily was a cent cheaper in Japan, Thailand, the UK and France.
Which has the better Europe plan?
Airalo's Europe plan covers more countries (41, including the western Balkans and Ukraine), and its EU + UK plan is cheaper if you stay in the EU and the UK. Saily's Europe plan covers 35 countries including the UK, Switzerland and Turkey, and had the cheaper 7-day unlimited plan. Neither Europe plan covers Kosovo; Saily's separate Balkans plan does.
Who makes Saily?
Saily is made by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. Its app adds security features such as a virtual location, an ad blocker and protection against malicious sites.
Can I have both on my phone?
Yes. Most eSIM phones can store several eSIMs, so you can install one from each and switch the data line in your settings.